WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today in response to news that the Affordcable Care Act has saved consumers $9 billion on health insurance premiums and has expanded health insurance coverage to more than ten million Americans:

“This morning’s news that the Affordable Care Act has saved consumers a total of $9 billion on their health insurance premiums since 2011 is a further demonstration that the law is doing what it was intended to do: providing families with greater access to affordable, quality care. At the same time, consumers will receive an average refund of $80 this year as a result of insurance providers being required under the law to spend no more than 20% of their premium dollars on costs other than patient care. This comes on the heels of a New England Journal of Medicine study released yesterday, which revealed that 10.3 million Americans who were previously uninsured have now been able to get covered as a result of the Affordable Care Act’s open enrollment for health insurance marketplaces and expanded Medicaid.

“The Affordable Care Act is working, bringing costs down for consumers, making insurance more accessible, and helping to slow the growth in health care costs across our economy. House Republicans have continued to make repealing or undermining this law a centerpiece of their agenda – if successful, it would undo the cost savings and patient protections that have benefitted millions of Americans from all walks of life. Democrats will continue to stand up for the Affordable Care Act, and I hope Republicans will change course and work with us to ensure that the law can be implemented in a way that benefits more Americans.”